The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-07-18
COME ALL YE THIRSTY.
HOW TO QUENCH THE Underlined
LONGING FOR SALVATION.

and Rachel at the Weu-No Excuse
for Failure to Reach the Well of
Religion-C Changed Feelings Incident
to Advancing Years.
THE HAMPToNs, July 17.-The Rev.
T. Dewitt Talmage, ID. D., pastor of the
Brooklyn Tabernacle, continues to enjoy
the summer in this pleasant place. His SER
mon for to-day was on the text: "We cannot
until all the flocks be gathered together, and
till they roll the stone from the wells
mouth; then we water the sheep. p."-Genesis,
xxx s.
A scene in Mesopotamia, beautifully pas
toraL. A well of water of great value in
that region. The fields round about it
white with three hocks of sheep lying down
waiting for the watering | hear their
bleating coming on the bright air, and the
laughter of young men and maidens in
dulging in rustic repartee | look off and ]
see other flocks of sheep coming. Mean
while, Jacob a stranger, ON the Interesting
errand of looking for wife, comes to the
well. A beautiful shepherdesS comes to the
same well. see her approaching, followed
by her fathers flock of sheep. 1t was a
memorable meeting. Jacob married that
shepherdess. The Bible account of it is:
voice and weptn 1t has always been a
mystery to me what he found to cry about!
But before that scene occurred, Jacob ac-
costs the shepherds aud asks them why they
postpone the shaking of the thirst of these
Sheep, and why they did not Immediately
proceed to water them. The shepherds
reply to the effect: 1--WE are all good
neighbors, and as matter of courtesy we
wait until all the sheep of the neighbor-
hot
the wells mouth is somewhat heavy, and
several of us take hold of it and push it
aside, and then the buckets and the troughs
are filled, and the sheep are satisfied. We
cannot, until all the focks are gathered to-
gether, and until they roll the stone from
the wells mouth; then we water the sheep"
Oh, this is thirsty world! Hot for the
head, and blistering for the feet, and parch-
ing for the tongue. The worlds great want
is cool, refreshing, satisfying draught
We wander around and we find the cistern
empty. Long and tedious drought has dried
up the worlds fountains, but nearly nine
teen centuries ago, a Shepherd, with crook
i'll the shape of a cross, and feet cut to the
bleeding, explored the desert passages of
this world, and one day came across well
a thousand feet deep, bubbling, and bright
and opalescent, and looked to the north, and
the south, and the east, and the west, and
Cllcu OuJ HlUu IL NOlCc olIOIiR anu inuSlCdl
that rang through the ages: ''Ho, every one
that thirsteth, come ye TO the waters!"
Now, a great flock of sheep to-day gather
around this Gospel well. There are a great
many thirsty souls | wonder why the fiocks
of all nations do not gather--why so many
stay away thirsty; and while am wonder
ing about it, my text breaks forth in the ex-
PLANTATION, saying: 1--WE cannot, until all
the flocls be gathered together, and till they
roll the stone from the wells mouth; then
we water the sheep"
If herd of swine come to a we'll they an
grily jostle each other for the precedence;
if a drove of cattle come to a well they hook
each other back from the water but when
a flock of sheep come, though hundred of
them shall be disappointed, they only ex-
press it by sad bleatings; they come together
peacefully. We want great multitude to
come around the Gospel well.
like a crowd-they think crowd
is vulgar If they are oppressed for room
in church it makes them positively impatient
and belligerent. We have had people perma-
nently leave our church because so many
other people come to it, Not so did these
oriental Shepherds. They waited until all
the flocks were gathered, and the more
hocks that came the better they liked it,
And so we ought to be anxious that all the
ItODlt SuOulu COHlt. tBO OuD lI1UD UilP Dlgn-
ways and hedges and compel them to come
in. Go to the rich and tell they are indi-
gent without the gospel of Jesus. Go to
the poor and tell them the affluence there is
in Christ. Go to the blind and tell them of
the touch that gives them eternal illumina-
ton. Go to the lame and tell them of the jov
that will make the lame man leap like
hart Gather all the sheep off of all the
mountains. None so torn Of the dogs, none
IL .s..I
to be omitted Why not gather a great
fockl All Brooklyn is flock; all New York
is a flock; all London is a flock; all
the world in a flock. This well of the Cos
pei is deep enough to put out the burning
thirst of the twelve hundred million of the
race Do not let the Church, by a spirit of
exclusiveneSs, keep the world out. Let
down all the bars, swing open all the gates,
scatter all the invitations: "Whosoever will,
let him come" Come, white and black
Come red men of the forest. Come Lap
lander out of the snow. Come, Patagonian
out of the heat. Come i'll furs. Come pant
ing under palm leaves. Come one. Come
all Come now. As at this well of MesopO-
tamia, Jacob and Rachel were betrothed, so
this morning, at this well of salvation, Christ
our Shepherd will meet you coming up with
your long hocks of cares and anxieties, and
He will stretch out His hand in pledge OF
his dlleCJlOli, Nnllc iicdNoll VIII OuJ.
'Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye out
to meet Him"
You notice that this well of Mesopotamia
had n stone on it which must be removed
before the sheep could be watered: and
find on this well of salvation to-day impedi-
ments, and obstacles, which must be removed
in order that you may obtain the refresh
ment and life of this Gospel In your case
the impediment is pride Of heart. You can
not bear to come to so democratic n foun-
tain; you do not want TO come with so many
others It is to you like when you are dry,
coming to town pump, as compared SIT
ting in n parlor slipping out of chased
chalice which has just been lifted from a
silver salver. Not so many publicans
and sinners. You want TO get to
heaven, but it must be in a special
car, with your feet on Turkish
ottoman and a band Of music on board the
train. You do not want to be in company
with rustic Jacob and Rachel, and to be
drinking out of the fountain where ten
thousand sheep have been drinking before
you. You will have TO remove the obstacle
of pride, or never find your way TO the well.
You will have 10 come as we came, willing
TO take the water of eternal life in any way,
and at any hand, and in any kind of pitcher,
crying out: sOh, Lord Jesus, 1 am dying Of
thirst Give me the water of eternal life,
whether I'm trough or goblet; give me the
water of life; / care not in what IL comes TO
me.n Away with all your hindrances Of
pride from the wells mouth.
Here is another man who is kept back
from this water Of life by the stone of an
obdurate heart which lies over the mouth